Parashat Chayei Sarah חַיֵּי שָׂרָה

Our Parasha speaks about Sarah’s life as she was our first mother along with our holy Forefathers.

The first word in our Parasha is “VaYehiyu” (“ויהיו” - and her years were…); the numerical value of this word is 37, alluding to the age of her son Yitzchak (“יצחק”) at the time of her death, and his test at Mount Moriah.

This comes to teach us that Sarah considered her life to be a true living only while having her son Yitzchak. Sarah was ninety years old when she had her one and only son. She died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven, being a mother for thirty-seven years, and the word “VaYehiyu” (“ויהיו”) point out to these 37 years of motherhood.

Sarah truly felt alive for thirty-seven years following the birth of Yitzchak, as most women truly consider themselves being “alive” after having children. The Talmud (Nedarim 60:4) teaches us that, one who is childless is not considered truly alive, since the first Mitzvah in the Torah is having children.

We also learn this from Rachel who said to Yaakov that she is considered herself “dead” without children. 

The Torah divides Sarah’s life into three parts: 100, 20, and 7 to teach us that she lived her 100 years without any sin like a 20-year-old who is not obligated by heavenly court, and her 20 years as young as a 7-year-old child who is pure. The word Sarah (“שרה”) also means reside in her, alluding to HaShem’s Holiness residing within Sarah as she was very righteous woman.

As long as Sarah was alive, the Shecinah (“שכינה” - Hashem’s glory) rested above and in her tent. She always had plenty of food, her Challot (Shabbat bread) were always fresh from Friday to the next Friday, and her Shabbat candles were never extinguished.

The Torah separates Sarah’s years into “מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים”; the words one hundred, twenty, and seven, in Hebrew spell the word “Shema” (“שְׁמַע”). We see that HasHem hinted to Avraham about her age of passings. In (Chapter 21:12) Hagar made a mockery of Sarah, Sarah ordered Avraham to get rid of her and her son Ishmael. Avraham asked HaShem if he should obey such request by Sarah, and HaShem replied, “all that Sarah asked you to do you should do” (“כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה, שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ”). The word “שְׁ.מַ.ע” “Shema” has the acronym to Sarah’s age מֵאָה-עֶשְׂרִים-שֶׁבַע 137 years, at the time of her passing.

Avraham returned (without Yitzchak) to Be’er Sheveh (“שבע-באר”) to tell Sarah all about the miracles he had just experienced, but she was not there.

Our Sages explain that she left, heading towards Hebron (“חברון”), looking for her son and husband.

The Midrash tells us that Satan (“שטן”) was frustrated that he could not “win” with Avraham and Yitzchak as they both passed HaShem’s test. So he pretended to be an Angel looking as Yitzchak and told Sarah that he was sacrificed by Avraham at the altar. She did not believe him and asked the four giants who also lived in Hebron (Sheshai, Achiman, Talmi, and their father) to verify the Satan’s claim.

They looked towards Jerusalem and verified that they saw a man holding a knife above a child on the altar. Upon hearing such testament she cries six strong cries and her pain was so grave that she lost her life instantly.

The Midrash tells us that her cries were heard throughout the land. When we blow the Shofar (“שופר”) on Rosh HaShana, we remember Sarah’s six cries, which sound the same as the “Tekia” (“תקיעה”). Every time we blow the Shofar we honor Sarah’s life and her pain, and we try to comfort her.

The Zohar has a profound and revealing teachings about the word “וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ” “VeLivcotah” (to cry for her (in verse 2). We notice that the letter “כֹּ” “Caf” is written as half the size of the rest of the letters, the Zohar explains that Sarah had a daughter who died at the same time as Sarah. When we read the word “וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ” “VeLivcotah” (to cry for her) without the letter “כֹּ” “Caf”, it will read “וְלִבְתָהּ” “VeLevitah” for her daughter. Meaning that Avraham came to eulogize and cry to both Sarah and his daughter.

The Midarsh say that all of that diminished after her passing, resumed when Rivkah (“ריבקה”) came to her tents and married Yitzchak. Sarah was one of the most righteous women and one of the seven prophetesses in the Torah, and she merited the “Zechut” (“זכות”) to be buried in  the Holy Land.

Sarah died in a city called “Kiryat Arba” ("קרית ארבע”) the city of four, these are considered the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people.

There are two explanations to as why it is called the city of four. One, the city of the four giants who lived there and the second is for the four couples who will be buried there, starting with Adam and Chava, Avraham and Sarah (as Avraham bought that portion of land for her burial), Yitzchak and Rivka and Yaakov and Leah.

Kiryat Arba is also called Hebron (“חברון”); the name first appears in Shemot 6:18, describing the sons of Kehat (the son of Levi) – Amram (Moshe’s father), Yitzhar, Hebron, and Uziel. Following the conquering of the Land of Israel by Yehoshua Hebron was one of the Levites cities. 

We know that Sarah lived in Be’er Sheva at the time of the Akieda and she left heading towards Hebron immediately after hearing of Yitzchak’s Akieda. Why? She should have gone to Jerusalem to Mount Moriah.

Our Sages say that Sarah knew about the Divine location of “Mearat HaMachpelah“ ("מערת המכפלה”) and the field where it was located. She wanted to be there at the time of her passing so she can be buried in it. It is hinted in the song about her the “Eshet Chayil” ("אשת חיל") in Mishlei 31:17: “זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה, וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ”. Meaning she (Sarah) considerate a field, and plotted to take it, speaking of the field where “Mearat HaMachpelah” is.

The word “חברון” has a secret code alluding to its future occupants, the people of Charan (Avraham birth place) as the two words are within “חברון”. The words “חרן” (Charan) and “בו” (Bo) make the word “חברון”. The Zohar says that every jewish Neshamah that passes (die) goes to the cave first and complain to Adam and Eve, blaming them for their sin and her (the soul) death.